Chicken-Fried Steak Katsu With Milk Gravy
Eric Kim
Photo by Julia Gartland
- Serves
- 1
- Prep Time
- 15 Minutes
- Cook Time
- 15 Minutes
My chicken-fried steak recipe draws inspiration from the Southern dish, which starts with cube steak and ends with milk gravy, but also from shatteringly crunchy Japanese-style katsu. The panko breading—my go-to when frying cutlets—fries up way crispier and, in my experience, requires less time in the oil than the country-fried flour-egg-flour situation. I’ve always felt that frying at home was never worth the mess, but when you’re cooking small-scale like this, the oil feels somehow more manageable. I like to make a comforting milk gravy with the pan drippings, which blankets the crispy meat. The most important ingredient here is, for me, the nutmeg, that deep, earthy cure-all for homesickness, because it tastes of everything good and familiar: Christmas, pumpkin pie, milk gravy. Alongside mashed potatoes and finely shaved cabbage, chicken-fried steak is comfort food for when you need comfort food most.
Ingredients
Chicken-fried steak katsu
- 1/2 pound cube steak (about 1 to 2 steaks, depending on the size)
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Cayenne pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon milk
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- Vegetable oil, for frying
- Mashed potatoes and coleslaw, for serving (optional)
Milk gravy
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 1 cup milk
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Cayenne pepper, to taste
- 1 pinch freshly grated nutmeg
Featured Video
Chicken-Fried Steak Katsu With Milk Gravy
Directions
Instructions
- Step 1
For the chicken-fried steak katsu: Season both sides of the steak(s) with salt, pepper, and cayenne. Set up three stations for the flour, eggs (whisked with the tablespoon of milk), and panko, seasoning each with salt, pepper, and cayenne. Dip the steaks in the flour, then the eggs, then the panko, ensuring that all sides, nooks, and crannies are well coated.
- Step 2
In a cast-iron skillet, heat a shallow layer of vegetable oil to 350°F. Fry steaks in the oil, about 2 minutes per side (the second side may need even less) or until lightly browned. These cook up very quickly, so you can take them out as soon as the panko changes color.
- Step 3
For the milk gravy: Remove oil from the pan, leaving behind a tablespoon. Stir in the tablespoon of flour and cook for about a minute. Whisk in the milk; season with salt, pepper, cayenne, and nutmeg; and cook, stirring constantly, until thickened into a lovely gravy.
- Step 4
Serve the katsu with mashed potatoes and coleslaw, smothering the plate with milk gravy. Rice is good, too, if you don't want to bother with potatoes.